super-size 62 squad

[dom9]

Why?

They are so far off the pace it's untrue. They are a million miles from challenging for the league, which, after all is what a club of their stature should be about.

If they don't invest in players soon, they'll be fighting it out with the likes of Villa and Everton for 5th place every year.

I don't see any of their genius youngsters coming through and making a big enough impression any time soon, and they need more than one.

Arashvin is a step in the right direction for them.

[The_weatherman]

Why?

They are so far off the pace it's untrue. They are a million miles from challenging for the league, which, after all is what a club of their stature should be about.

If they don't invest in players soon, they'll be fighting it out with the likes of Villa and Everton for 5th place every year.

I don't see any of their genius youngsters coming through and making a big enough impression any time soon, and they need more than one.

Arashvin is a step in the right direction for them.

I can agree with this.

[red g]

Why?

They are so far off the pace it's untrue. They are a million miles from challenging for the league, which, after all is what a club of their stature should be about.

If they don't invest in players soon, they'll be fighting it out with the likes of Villa and Everton for 5th place every year.

I don't see any of their genius youngsters coming through and making a big enough impression any time soon, and they need more than one.

Arashvin is a step in the right direction for them.

not sure i agree, think they need a bit of experience and some steel in the centre, dont forget rosicky and eduardo have been out most of the season, they dont have a big squad so miss there best players

[dww]

Absolute hatchet job which seems to miss the point.

For a start Arsenal have 59, according to that article - just three less than us. We get butchered and not a peep about Arsenal.

The article seems to lament the fact Lindfield et al 'haven't been given a chance'. Well, if they were good enough they would be. Rafa didn't buy Lindfield. He's gone to friggin' Accrington Stanley where he's hardly scored any goals. Not as if he's been snapped up by Chelsea FFS.

Also it gives the impression we have 62 paid professionals. 62 members of the first team squad. Why does it mention Mourinho's 'ideal 22' or Scolari's '23 or 24'? They were talking about first-team squad members FFS - largely players brought in for millions. Not ****ing youth team members on youth contracts.

I think broadly speaking you are correct but at the same time there are genuine question marks about whether the size of reserve squad we have is too big. I think it is far too early in Rafa's youth project to tell how successful it is but there seems a valid debate to be had as to whether enough of our young players get games even at reserve level to develop and whether loans to teams with managers and coaches of varying quality will finish players in the way we hope.

There is also the question of whether we have stockpiled young players from abroad as opposed to creating a conveyor belt from the academy.

The point about Arsenal is valid to a degree but they do have a reputation for developing young players and getting them into the team. For us/Rafa that hasn't really happened. Although there is a fair argument that most of Wengers young players to make the grade have been bought in and then 'finished' and could reasonably be compared to how we are now seeing El Zhar/Insua come into the first team fold. The reputation we have at youth levels for developing talent could prove very important in terms of recruitment in future.

The article however seems more interested in making a tabloidy splash and not looking into things thoroughly.

[peekay]

Absolute hatchet job which seems to miss the point.

For a start Arsenal have 59, according to that article - just three less than us. We get butchered and not a peep about Arsenal.

The article seems to lament the fact Lindfield et al 'haven't been given a chance'. Well, if they were good enough they would be. Rafa didn't buy Lindfield. He's gone to friggin' Accrington Stanley where he's hardly scored any goals. Not as if he's been snapped up by Chelsea FFS.

Also it gives the impression we have 62 paid professionals. 62 members of the first team squad. Why does it mention Mourinho's 'ideal 22' or Scolari's '23 or 24'? They were talking about first-team squad members FFS - largely players brought in for millions. Not ****ing youth team members on youth contracts.

Zonal Marking - No Longer an issue
Stevie G's position - No longer an issue
Next in line - size of the squad.

There is a good article hidden very deep inside that article. Instead of making it a hatchet job on Liverpool, they should have focused on the prospects of youth in joining premier league teams, how many of them make it and how many of them dont and what FA could do promote youth footballers.

[DannyMan2006]

Rafa himself says the youth system at Liverpool is a failure and it is why he wanted full control. I can see the points made by the journo, but Rafa himself knows he has problems so what exactly is his point?

The most valid point is still a good one though. It is often pointed out by our coaches that we don't play enough reserve games, yet our reserve squad is massive. Needs to be a big cull in my opinion.

[The_weatherman]

I think broadly speaking you are correct but at the same time there are genuine question marks about whether the size of reserve squad we have is too big. I think it is far too early in Rafa's youth project to tell how successful it is but there seems a valid debate to be had as to whether enough of our young players get games even at reserve level to develop and whether loans to teams with managers and coaches of varying quality will finish players in the way we hope.

Isn't the reserves squad as big as it it because Rafa is using it as his own academy though? He didn't have any say in the academy so he used the reserves instead, or something along those lines, our reserve squad is the youngest in the league I think.

[dww]

Isn't the reserves squad as big as it it because Rafa is using it as his own academy though? He didn't have any say in the academy so he used the reserves instead, or something along those lines, our reserve squad is the youngest in the league I think.

But that in itself is a problem. One that his new control might alleviate. if those players were spread through different age group teams and the reserves then they would have more chances of competitive games. Increased quality at lower levels would possibly increase the expectations of the local boys coming through although at the risk of giving them less of a chance.

The optimum solution is not obvious to me but I think if we weren't being (rightly) defensive of Rafa here then we would acknowledge that some of the criticisms made are ones we have been discussing before and may even be part of the reason Rafa wants academy control.

[Charlie_B]

Ridiculous article. It's as if the journalist was required to write something negative about the club or the manager and that's the best he could come up with. Waste of time.